Despite loss, Paige VanZant assures she’s “gonna have the belt one day.”

Last night, in the main event of UFC on Fox 22, strawweight prospect Paige VanZant had her rise halted by a first-round submission loss to former Invicta atomweight champ Michelle Waterson. Shortly after this lopsided loss, the fan favorite spoke with the media about the fight.

“I got caught,” VanZant said of her submission loss to Waterson. “I’m not gonna overthink it. I need to work on my jiu-jitsu and that’s it.”

With this loss in the books, VanZant now plans to take a bit of time off to focus on her many opportunities outside of fighting–like her early 2016 run on Dancing with the Stars. 

“I feel my opportunities are endless,” VanZant said. “I’m definitely gonna be fighting for the UFC for a long time. I’m very young; no injuries. So I’m gonna get back into it. But of course if other things come up, I’m gonna pursue those as well. I have a lot of passions in the world and I’m not gonna limit myself to one thing.”

“I have a lot of big things working outside of fighting, so I’m gonna pursue those for a little while,” she continued. “I definitely need a vacation, so I’m planning that right now. And then straight back to work, back in the gym getting ready for my next fight.”

Despite this loss, and her plans to take a bit of time off from fighting, VanZant assured that she still believes she’ll be the UFC’s strawweight champion one day.

“I was meant for the spotlight and I’m gonna continue to be in the spotlight,” she said. “And I will be back and I’m gonna have the belt one day. I’m 22 years old. I have a long time.”

Do you think Paige VanZant will ever wear strawweight gold? Sound off in the comments, PENN Nation!